This invention relates to a novel composition of matter which acts as an improved stabilizer in the preparation of soft serve yogurt and hard frozen yogurt. In the preparation of soft serve and hard frozen products, it is desirous to have a final product that is not only stable, but is attractive in appearance as well as smooth and free from graininess.
Most prior art gums and blends have been found to react with the milk protein during the processing procedures resulting in yogurts with whey-off and coarse bodied, grainy yogurt. By the term, "whey-off" is meant the separation of fluid material from solid material.
The instant invention is directed to novel compositions of matter which act as a stabilizer for soft serve and hard frozen yogurt. The stabilizer is a combination of ingredients having the following composition.
Propylene glycol alginate--45-60% PA1 Sodium alginate--15-35% PA1 Guar--10-20% PA1 Carrageenan--2-10%
The stabilizer composition can in turn be utilized in combination with an emulsifier and is referred to as a blend. The stabilizer blend, therefore, is a mixture of the stabilizer as described above with an emulsifier. The stabilizer may constitute a range of about 55-75% by weight of the stabilizer blend and the emulsifier may constitute about 45-25% by weight of the stabilizer blend. The amount of emulsifier may vary, however, depending on which particular one is chosen. The stabilizer and stabilizer blend components are mixed by conventional methods including dry blending techniques which are known to those skilled in this art.
The stabilizer and/or blend composition can be added to the milk before or after processing, i.e., pasteurization, homogenization or incubation.
The stabilizer can be utilized in the soft serve or hard frozen yogurt at a range of about 0.1-0.4% by weight. A preferred range for stabilizer would be about 0.2% by weight.
The stabilizer blend can be utilized in the soft serve or hard frozen yogurt at a range of about 0.15-0.60% by weight. A preferred range for stabilizer blend would be about 0.3% by weight.
The emulsifier which can be utilized in the practice of this invention is any that is known in the art and acceptable for use in foods for human consumption. Typical emulsifiers that may be utilized include monoglycerides, diglycerides, lecithin, polysorbate 80 and polysorbate 65. These emulsifiers may be used alone or in combination with each other. For example, the polysorbates may be utilized with the monoglycerides or diglycerides and the like.